Dry Needling Safety Concerns

Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt suffered a partial lung collapse (pneumothorax) following a dry needling treatment session. Required surgery and hospitalization. The incident drew national media attention to dry needling risks.

24-year-old female developed moderate left pneumothorax after dry needling of the left interscapular muscle group using a rib-bracketing technique. Presented with dyspnea, chest pain, and dry cough within 2 days. Required chest tube and one night of hospitalization; fully recovered in one month.

66-year-old female developed pleuritic chest pain, shortness of breath, and neck pain two days after posterior cervical dry needling at a chiropractic clinic. CT confirmed a 3.5 cm left apical pneumothorax that reduced to 2.6 cm with supplemental oxygen.

35-year-old female (BMI 22) developed severe subscapular pain during needling of the right supraspinatus, then worsening chest pain over 3 days before presenting to the emergency department. Right-sided pneumothorax with 20% lung collapse confirmed on imaging; managed conservatively with oxygen for 2 days.

Four women aged 28–35 developed pneumothorax after dry needling of the left shoulder, trapezius, or neck by physical therapists. All presented with chest pain and dyspnea. Two required needle aspiration; one required a chest drain for six days after re-collapse following initial aspiration.

First published case of bilateral (both lungs) pneumothorax caused by dry needling. Young woman treated in the neck and shoulder area by a physical therapist developed bilateral lung collapse. Right side required needle aspiration; left side managed conservatively. Full recovery.

Five female patients at a single Irish hospital developed pneumothorax after upper thoracic dry needling by physical therapists (2016–2023). All were managed with oxygen therapy and conservative care, with full resolution within two weeks. Cases illustrate a recurring pattern in one facility.

36-year-old male presented two hours after dry needling of the posterior thoracic back muscles with right-sided chest pain. CT confirmed a small right pneumothorax. Resolved spontaneously by day 3 without intervention.

44-year-old male developed dry cough, malaise, and needling-site pain after dry needling of the infraspinatus, supraspinatus, rhomboid, and paraspinal muscles. No dyspnea reported. Imaging revealed a small left apical pneumothorax; recovered with supplemental oxygen.

A professional swimmer in Italy suffered pneumothorax after dry needling by a physical therapist, resulting in a legal dispute over practitioner liability and scope of practice. The case prompted analysis of medicolegal risks and informed consent obligations for dry needling.

A participant in a live dry needling demonstration suffered pneumothorax when an instructor needled the thoracic paraspinal region during a training session. Managed conservatively. Highlights risks present even in supervised training settings.

24-year-old female with low BMI presented to an Irish emergency department with severe pain and dyspnea 30 minutes after dry needling of the left posterior shoulder. Managed conservatively; full recovery within 21 days. Part of a 3-case series from a single ED.

Official Virginia government record documents multiple dry needling pneumothorax cases: a 50-year-old Virginia woman hospitalized 2 days; a North Carolina woman requiring emergency surgery; Brenda Bierman (51, Ohio) hospitalized same day; and Wes Jenkins (23, Virginia) requiring emergency surgery and 4-day hospitalization.